Addressing the Dual Challenge through Advanced Separations: From Materials to Process Scale-up

The dual challenge of supplying energy to a growing middle class while reducing emissions is shaping the future of energy globally. Large-scale hydrocarbon separation technologies account for roughly 45% of energy consumption in gas processing, refining and petrochemicals manufacturing. In response to these challenges, ExxonMobil has been developing advanced separation concepts focused on some of the highest impact streams such as olefin/paraffin and xylene isomer separations natural gas processing and carbon capture. Development of novel materials, fundamental and data driven process models and lab-bench-pilot scale evaluation are often simultaneously required to take these applications from a concept to technical demonstration. The talk discusses the research portfolio of the separations and process chemistry group at ExxonMobil’s Corporate Strategic Research highlighting the potential to dramatically reduce the energy/carbon and physical footprint of critical operations not feasible via conventional processing.